Anti-government rebels in northern Syria have launched a sudden offensive in an effort to capitalize on Israel’s efforts to weaken Iran’s regional proxies.

Last month, the UN special envoy for Syria warned that the wars in Gaza and Lebanon appeared to be “catalysing conflict in north-west Syria in a dangerous manner”. Geir Pedersen said HTS had carried out a significant raid into government-held areas,

Thousands of people made the crossing back into Lebanon from Syria on the second day of a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, after nearly 14 months of fighting. At the Jousieh border crossing in the Qusair area of Syria’s Homs province,

A cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah has brought calm to the countries’ border area, though reactions were varied from the many thousands displaced by the conflict on both sides.